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India: Leprosy stigma forces son to burn dead father's hut with body inside


Clawed hands and ulcers are a result of late diagnosis

Clawed hands and ulcers are a result of late diagnosis

The extent of social stigma of leprosy in India has been laid bare as details emerge of a 70 year old man whose son was allegedly forced to cremate his father by setting ablaze his hut, which goes against all normal funeral practices in India. The shocking incident happened on the outskirts of Bhaisamuha, in Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh, in Central India.

Thankdaram Chauhan had been living in the village when he developed boils on his body which doctors diagnosed as leprosy.

As news of his disease spread the family was forced to leave the old man outside. They built a separate hut for their father, who later died there.

It is understood that the son was told he could not have a formal funeral and instead had to cremate his father by setting fire to the hut he lived in with the body still inside.

Gareth Shrubsole, programmes officer for India at The Leprosy Mission England and Wales said tackling the stigma of leprosy is still a huge challenge, especially in States like Chhattisgarh. "Thankdaram's story is sadly not an isolated one. There are many cases where people end up living in goat sheds and cow sheds or are cast out of their homes and communities because they have leprosy. This discrimination both in life, and even in death, is not only cruel, it's also completely un-necessary.

"Leprosy is easily curable with free medicines and it is surprisingly hard to catch or transmit. However, getting that message across, particularly in remote and rural areas, is still a real challenge.

"With funding from the European Union, The Leprosy Mission's new CREATE project, will soon start working with communities in Chhattisgarh and three other Indian States to improve both awareness of the facts about leprosy and recognition of the rights of those affected by it, amongst communities, local governments and employers."

World Health Organisation figures have shown that 213,899 cases of leprosy were diagnosed worldwide in 2014 - 58% of those (125, 785) were found in India.

Chhattisgarh has one of the highest incidents of leprosy in India with a 2014 prevalence rate of 2.1 cases per 10,000 of population, while in Raigarh District, where this incident took place, there is an extremely high 5.7 cases per 10,000 of population.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It usually affects the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract and the eyes. If left untreated it can lead to deformities and permanent disabilities including blindness. Leprosy has been curable since 1982. A simple multidrug therapy - a combination of rifampicin, chlorofozamine and dapsone. Yet the stigma stops people from seeking treatment for fear of being cast out by their communities or rejected by their families.

For more information about leprosy go to: www.leprosymission.org.uk

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